Playtime's Over, CEO: She's Really Done With You-Chapter 489: A Life for a Life

Serena hadn’t had time to take two steps before she also looked over.

She saw a man in the crowd wearing a baseball cap standing there, holding something aimed at Serena.

In that moment, many things happened.

Serena looked at the man with the baseball cap.

The man lifted his head, revealing that familiar face and those vicious eyes locking with Serena’s.

Behind him, Xander Linton and Isla Lawson approached with security personnel.

Preston Langley!

Serena instantly understood.

The next moment——

"Go to hell!"

"Bang!"

"Serena!"

"No!"

The sound of a gunshot echoed throughout the hall, accompanied by the shouts of the crowd.

Preston Langley was holding a gun, and now the bullet had been fired, heading towards Serena.

It all happened in an instant, from Serena turning around to Preston Langley pulling the trigger, less than half a second had passed.

There was no time to dodge.

The next moment, a strong force struck.

Serena was pushed aside, then warm blood splattered onto her.

It was Silas Hawthorne.

At the last moment, he had shielded her and pushed her away.

But the bullet had lodged in his left chest.

Blood splattered everywhere.

"Thud!"

The force of the bullet’s impact knocked him to the ground.

His head struck a nearby protrusion, and blood from his chest and the back of his head pooled into a large area.

Serena looked at the scene in disbelief.

"Silas!"

Serena immediately crouched down to try to lift Silas Hawthorne, but his eyes remained closed, and he did not respond at all.

And where he was shot, the blood had quickly spread, staining the left side of his white suit red within moments.

Security personnel immediately crowded around and, with Serena, moved Silas to a protected area.

Serena immediately searched for Seraphina, then saw that she was being held by Clara Huxley in a safe spot nearby. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

"Ah!"

"There’s been a murder!"

"Someone’s firing!"

The crowd screamed, and many people, in a frenzy, rushed out, scattering the security team.

Behind the cover,

"Silas, Silas! Wake up, how are you?" Serena’s hands trembled as she held Silas Hawthorne’s body, crying out, "Ambulance, call an ambulance!"

Her body was still stained with his spattered blood, covering her wedding dress, her headdress, and the heavy jewelry around her neck.

She reached out to try to stop the blood flowing from his wound, but her fingers were soaked as blood seeped through them.

"Silas, don’t scare me..." Tears continued to fall, landing on his body, but to no avail.

"We just held our wedding... We just officially became husband and wife, Silas..."

Tears fell like a broken string of pearls, but no matter how she called, the man lying on the stage remained motionless.

As if, he were already dead.

No...

The scene of her father jumping to his death from a tall building years ago seemed to flash before her eyes once again.

Why did he push her away, why did he take the bullet for her.

Why was it always the ones she loved who got hurt...

She wished it had been her who got shot.

...

"Catch him!"

"Don’t let him escape!"

"He has a gun, be careful!"

Guests were in a panic, with security personnel attempting an arrest.

"Bang!"

Something exploded, and thick smoke rolled around.

"Bang, bang, bang!"

Amidst the fog, Preston Langley fired again in different directions, and some people fell.

Then——

"Ah!" A terrifying scream erupted.

"Let her go!"

"Wah, let me go, you bad man, let me go!" a childish voice shouted.

Serena suddenly looked up.

Her heart seemed to skip a beat; everything played out in slow motion.

She saw Seraphina not far away, kicking and trying to bite, Clara Huxley thrown aside crawling up, and beside her, a security personnel was shot, bleeding heavily, fate uncertain.

"Behave!" Preston Langley hit Seraphina hard, making her cry loudly. He seemed annoyed, hitting her on the neck, knocking her out.

"No!"

Her heart felt torn apart.

No... don’t hurt Seraphina, don’t hurt her daughter!

Almost unable to stand, Serena screamed, crawling towards them with all her might.

"Don’t move!" Preston Langley pressed the gun against Seraphina’s head, looking around.

"Stop! Don’t come closer!" Jasper Ford shouted.

Xander Linton ordered everyone nearby to back off.

The smoke was gradually clearing, most guests had fled, leaving only a few behind.

Several circles of security personnel surrounded everyone there.

At the very center was Preston Langley holding Seraphina hostage, and not far away, Serena.

"Let her go, she’s just a child, she’s no use to you." Serena’s tears continued to flow as she stood up, holding onto the wall, stepping forward.

"Serena!"

"Serena, be careful!"

But Serena continued to step forward: "What do you want? My life? I’m right here, let her go."

She had nothing left.

Her mother had learned the truth and ran out without forgiving her, her newlywed husband lay between life and death, and her daughter was in the hands of a ruthless criminal...

If exchanging her life could save Seraphina, she did not care about life or death.

But Preston Langley did not fire.

He just gave a cold laugh, "Why would I want your life? That shot, I only meant to make someone panic!"

His eyes flashed with malice as he spoke.

The wedding livestream had been ordered to shut down by Silas Hawthorne as soon as the photos were released.

However, in some hidden corners, livestream equipment continued to broadcast everything live.

Preston Langley looked at a hidden camera with a grim smile, thinking—[Julian Lawson, are you watching?]

...

Outside.

Ian Yates was urging the driver to head quickly towards the hall.

The livestream had been shut down as soon as the photos were released.

But other livestreams were soon discovered by netizens.

Those streams had been set up afterward.

Rumors and vile language poured out.

Everyone had speculations.

Julian Lawson had already called in his men to block the online spread of those photos.

But it was futile, it had already disseminated.

It would only spread more.

While Julian Lawson was handling it, another livestream started, and shortly after, the shooting began.

All the guests were busy escaping, leaving no time for streaming, hence from among multiple videos, only one remained.

This was the one Julian Lawson was now watching closely.

His gaze met Preston Langley’s eyes on the screen.

"Preston Langley!"

Julian Lawson roared.